Dominance or normal puppy behavior?

[scbatz33]

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very well said. I too have had plenty of resuce dogs/strays of various breeds and all mixed int he same living quarters. My femal rott is by far the most "other dog" agressive. We have always been extra careful with her and new dogs. She is very tollerant of puppies and dogs larger than her. However, small yippie breeds are on her dinner plate! We have always spayed/neutered our pets. but some have been older than others when altered. We have had shepherds, chows, Amer bulldogs, mastiffs, beagles, rotts and a variety of mutts. I agree, it's all about how you as the "pack leader" establish your pack.

 

[Redyre Rotties]

People will do as they like, that is for sure, whether they have been warned/informed or not.

IMO you folks who run large numbers of dogs together unsupervised have been lucky. I can name 5 people I know of off hand who have come home to dead dogs, which were killed by other dogs they were running with. Not all Rottweilers! 2 instances were with small breeds, and one with GSDs!

I will run 2 dogs at a time, opposite sex.

NEVER 3. The 2 will gang up on the one if there is a problem, and most of the time one dog cannot defend itself against 2.

I have twice had dogs who got along fine for several years decide out of the blue one day they were going to kill each other. For me it's not worth the chance.

 

[walkswithdog]

In thirty years of a multi dog pack, that hasn't been my experience. Oh I had brothers that fought, that was costly. And once the girls got into it, punctures mostly. And then Huey - the Bullchit, went after Nicky the Pit Bull, but the Pit was good natured and called off. A dog can run into a tree in the yard and die, I've known two people with dogs who killed themselves that way. Known a bunch with dogs who choked/impacted from eating things they shouldn't - like rocks.

I did know a guy who was warned NOT to buy two male rotts, siblings, he did it anyway, when they finally decided to have it out, he was in the middle and they BROKE his arms, both of them, then near killed one another.

Yes TRUST kills at times, trust not to kill each other, trust not to run into trees, trust not to eat rocks, trusted off leash even... But that's life, and dogs and living things. And my packs love each other, obviously depend on each other, 9 at a time in the yard, do not pack up on one another automatically, nor three or more. And people who DO NOT know their dogs well, and cannot tell when there are disagreements about to happen, and don't see dominance symptoms and respond properly DO lose dogs. If I'd kept Nicky and Huey together after that last fight, I know Huey would attack him again, and Nicky would FINISH it. So I placed the dog, he's quite happy with his five kids and cat.

Absolutely any two dogs can decide to kill one another at any time, at any point in their lives. Absolutely packs can decide to go after one pack member and kill them. Little dogs or large. Or a dog can choke, hang itself, impact from eating things. Suddenly and for the first time run off and into traffic and die. I could spend my whole waking life trying to keep them safe from life. Nah. I'm aware and watchful and I know them. They matter to one another, it's obvious, and after 30 years this way, I'd go down to four but no fewer, and I've run up to 15 successfully for years.

Pack animals are pack animals and I prefer to do it that way, risks acknowledged.

Cher

 

[redhen]

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Your making me scared...

 

[gritsar]

Thanks y'all for taking the time to share your opinions here.

 

[Slinkytoys]

I have to agree. After "being in dogs" for over 40 years, I too, would not have two unaltered male GSDs together. At this age, not too much of a problem. Am surprised that your breeder didn't tell you this. My sighthounds are more of a pack breed (like beagles, foxhounds, coonhounds etc..). Herding breeds, working breeds are NOT so pack orientated. The best pairing is male and female.
Jax won't look at Kane as his brother. The behavior of Kane won't be accepted by Jax once they mature. Keep an eye on things! Frankly, I would keep a hotshot prod in the house, just in case you have to break up a fight. Better safe than sorry. I, too, know of people who have been seriously injured when breaking up a dog fight. Hoses work well, but a prod used at the right time can be a lifesaver.
Slinky

 

[walkswithdog]

I've kept male groups of GSDs before but did have the brother pair that refused to get along. We keep a gallon pitcher of water in the fridge if we think we have possible combatants. We keep the fridge very old for aging meat - so that ice water hitting combatants generally takes all the tar out of them. My elder male Merlin - 12 year old GSD, tolerated his largest son, Titan for his entire life and never once did they lift a lip at each other in Ten years. But Titan was one of the brother combatants who refused to get along after they matured at three. And I've always had groups of females, from three to six - all gsds a couple of times, mother and two daughters and spares. Keeping water on hand is a way of life here since I'm always introducing new rescue dogs.

Packs spat. Some people about faint at a spat that's mostly roar and spit and a couple of punctures. Lots of things kill dogs, including other dogs. The only way to be certain two dogs will never fight, is to have ONE dog. I keep dogs because I like dog behavior, all of it, including pack behaviors. But I'm an ex-dog trainer, a shelter worker and a life long "dog person." And I understand the risks. I maintain my awareness level, my house and my equipment in a manner in which to be prepared because animals are people too, and some people just don't get along, sometimes suddenly. I find dogs, in general more reliable than people. Hence a tiny family and a large group of dogs...

BTW a shock stick will sometimes not stop a fight, in malinois, some shepherds and some rotts it will make them ANGRIER.

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

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The thing to remember is a male puppy is a male teenager, Hormones kick in and all he wants to do is hump so he will hump anything cats male dogs your leg.

He will grow out of it but he needs to be corrected about it this way he learns control over it I found that a training collar (pinch collar) works very well for mine. the dominance has already been found that would be your husband as for you you are the beta female you are the pack leaders number 1 so he runs to you for protection, think of it this way you husband is the alpha male so he is the dom one where you are also a dominate female yet you are not the alpha so he see you as no threat to him but you are dom just enough for protection when the alpha male is not around. With dogs they do attach themselves to one owner so this may be your case hubby is alpha but he runs with you.
As for your answer it is a male puppy thing to do just correct it when it happens and he will gain control of it and will stop.
Think of it this way "Men are dogs" are what women say.......

I hope this helped and answered the question for you